One Week to Go!

Well - going into the one week to Gateway - Am I ready?Fuck No - I'm a suck-ass, but it is what it is.


Monday - commuted to Harris Stowe - nice ride and I saw Bill H on the cross bike! The commute is nice - especially through Forest Park (you know it!)

Tuesday - Started the Tour de Ladue - was fun, I had a lot of gas in the tank. Should of raced, but it was the only night I would see the kids. Later that night I dropped Loren's Monster bike off at his house, and while driving back, I saw Ron working late at the shop, so I stopped by. He was in a state as he was trying to put adult training wheels on a bike - no shitting - adult training wheels. This was a two man job, so I stayed and helped - they are the funniest things I have seen on a bike! Of course we had to ride it around the shop.

Wednesday - commuted to Harris Stowe - nice ride and I saw Bill H in the same spot, on the cross bike! Missed The Hub team meeting.

Thursday - rode after work - once again, I had a good amount of gas.

Friday - went to the Cardinals game with Ron, Kevin and Andy.We had a blast! What more could you want, front row parking, great seats (in the Red Bird Club), and walk off home-run by Albert Pujoles and beer. Unfortunately, too much beer (2 before the game, 4 at the game, 3 at Venice Cafe and 4 at Tower Pub) I think you get the story for Saturday - I thought I would take the day off! Props the Ron and Kevin for making The Hub ride - I was "praying" a little in the morning. I'm in Gateway training! I think the training bible said this is what great riders do the week before a big 4 day race!

Sunday - Rode Knucklehead with Mark, Kevin, and Bill. Felt great - did a monster pull through the valley that kind of smoked me, but I recovered and got on the front a bunch more times. The pace was fast, but not ballbusting. The group ended with 12-15 guys at the end. Later that day I rode with Judy and had a really nice ride. It's nice to ride with Judy.

THE HUB BITCHES RULE - 11th Place!

Monday was the first day of school - I was really smoked this week - going back to work when you have the summer off is like winning the lottery and having somebody take it away! Oh yeah - Judy and I made STLTODAY - and yes, everybody at work saw it - AHHHHH!

Tuesday - rode after work by myself for an easy 20 miles - felt really good. That night was Tuesday Night Worlds - I felt pretty good going into it. We had a large HUB crew unlike last week. My goal this year, as said repeatedly, is to go off the front as much as I can. This time I went off the front three times! The race started really sketchy. Into the second turn at the bottom of the hill, three guys crashed into each other - luckily I had my buddy Bryan pushing me into it! - just joking. After the crash I said to this dude next to me - "here we go" knowing the guys on the front would hammer - and they did. Things never settled down - the pace was super fast - not allowing for any breaks on the front. My first time off the front I soloed a whole lap by myself - I went across the start finish line and took into the downhill turns - when I reached the base of the hill, I looked back and I had a quarter of a lap - so I jammed it up the hill and slowed up to recover. The second time - a huge break occurred off the front - One group of four and a second group. I saw Mark go and I jumped too. I was able to close on the group which felt great. The break fell apart right after I got there and we were gobbled up. I went off the front a third time up the hill, but never really got anywhere. By the end of the race I was gassed, but finished with the pack.

Afterward a large group went to TACO TUESDAY at the Tower Pub. A great time. I think there was eight of us and I think we had eight pitchers of beer! Luckily we all made our way home without a BWI (Biking while drunk).

Wednesday Night Throwdown was my last of the year - and it sucked the big dick. Everything was going great - I was near the front and the pace was hammer fast. When we hit Mason going to Conway, I covered two gaps - out of saddle type shit, and by the time we hit Conway, I was smoked. I can't believe I couldn't close that small gap - but I was officially gassed. I rode in with a small group and that was that.

Out t-shirts came in! the look great! Now Chris Miller isn;t the only one with a Hub racing shirtYou hear that Chris Miller - Now I have a t-shirt too - yeah, that's right!

Thursday - I commuted to Harris Stowe - good times!

Friday - The Hub Bitches Ruled. Went to Team Seagal's Non-Race #2 at Lost Valley. A great time and a great spoke card. This is only my third time Mountain Biking and my first time at night. We had a four man relay and copious amounts of beer. Our team: THE HUB BITCHES was made up of Ron, Andy and Devin. Team Seagal always puts on a rockin' event and this was fantastic. I only crashed three times - once into a tree - and I think I consumed 9 Coronas! No matter, I didn't get home until 12:30 and was feeling good! A big thank you to Loren Cavano and his 29'er Kona Unit and lights - I felt like a monster truck on this thing!

Saturday Hub ride - I hung back and rode with the slow group - I even took my cross bike planning for a laid back ride. A lot of people were there and it was a nice ride. I was going to do Knucklehead but Judy and I went out Sat. Night and I was tired and slept in. It was nice to rest.

I Finally Won Something - and turned 38

The Week: A great week - full of commuting. I'll tell you, there is something about commuting that makes so much sense. When I get to work, I feel good, awake, refreshed. Commuting is a major key to biking. I was sick of using my messenger with one strap. I know tons of guys who love these things, but they just piss me off, always shift when I ride, and they seem heavy. I wanted the backpack kind - so I checked on ebay and found a mint condition Red Chrome Dually (reg. $140) going for $26 bucks - so I bid and won! Kick Ass!

Monday - Can't remember - it was the last day of daddy day camp - so I think I did no riding.

Tuesday - Commuted to work and drop off Judy's car and...
Tuesday Night Crits - An OK race - didn't do much, just hung in there. The Hub was in low attendance for the race. Pretty much it was me and Mark representing the Cat 4's. I was in the race and finished with the pack. My problem during the race was every time I tried to move my position up, like take to the outside and expend the energy, I would tuck back in and be exactly were I started. I could not advance my position so I finished where I started.

Wed. Commuted to work and to pick up Judy's car. I was unable to ride the Hub ride due to baby sitting issues. I heard it was the Wed. Night record - 22.4 mph - up from 22.1 (which I was a part of!)

Thursday - a big commuting day - rode to St. John's for a stress test - than to work - than to Harris Stowe and than home. The stress test went fine - resting heart rate-57

Friday - took the day off - It was my Birthday!!!! 38 years old!

Saturday - Woke up late for The Hub ride - so I rode the ride backwards and met up with the group. I felt really tired so it was a perfect ride. That night was The Naked Bike Ride: My thoughts - I did not do this (my job and shit like that) but he's the reality - what in the hell are these people protesting. I mean - half these fucks can barely ride a bike. Alright -this chick is hot(one reason to go) but how much commuting or bike riding do these fucks do? Any excuse to ride bikes and go naked is a plus for me - but drop the protest shit unless you really do it!
Support Team Wonderbike!

Sunday: New Belgium Urban Assault - or as I like to call it - MY KNEE HURTS Ride My teammate was Judy - Team: Which way do we go George!
This was a great time - teams dressed up and rode around the city to the City Museum, Missouri Botanical Garden, Tower Grove Park - to name a few places. Challenges included big wheels races, throwing wet sponges at Judy and of course drinkingnaughty girl scout - but always prepared! So what did we win? Best Costume - The Scouts! We got a ton of quality shit for winning - A Timbuktu bike bag, hat, t-shirts, boxes of Cliff Bars, etc. and - who hasn't had a girl scout fantasy!

Prairie Doggin' It

The title says it all. What a weak week - not a lot of training.

Monday - no go.

Tuesday Night Crits. Fast and a small Hub crew - in attendance was Bryan, Kevin, Mark, Robert and Tom Laury doing his first B race - with a super strong finish!The race was fine - I was sitting in - about 15 or min. into the race I felt I needed to do some work so I moved up near the front as we came across the line when a prime lap was announced - as I came around the back corner - everything opened up in front of me so I went for it. I shouted to Tom as I came by - and took off on Mark's wheel. As we came around the to the start-finish line, two Gateway guys launched a major sprint and took the prime - I came across in fourth behind Mark - two other guys were there also. We had a huge gap on the pack, a good quarter of a lap as we came around the backside - a few tried to get something organized, but I was smoked - I mean really gassed. I pulled to the side and let the pack pass and moved in near the back to relax, but no good. After about two more laps, I fell off the back - AHHHH! I fell back in on the back and rode the rest of the race out.

Wednesday - could it get more sucky. I was doing fine until we hit that back circle around Babler. I fell off the back and that was it. I really tried to put it into gear and make up some ground. I came about 30 seconds to catching them at Litzsinger but missed them. I do not know why I suck on this ride? I should be stronger but I am weak. After the ride we went with Team Revolution to Llywelyn's Pub - me and 20 chicks - OK.

Thursday and Friday - no go (Wow, I wonder why I am weak!)

Saturday - My Wedding Anniversary! (11 years) What better way to celebrate than 100 miles! The Prairie Dog Century. 100 hilly miles in 100 degree heat. Could it get any better. Judy did a great job! This ride was hilly and many people vaged out. At the last rest stop, two guys called contracted pussitiss and called it quits while Judy got and rode on. While we were coming in, we saw another guy knock off the last five miles and cheat. Judy did the whole thing! Four down, one to go.

Into August

A fairly good week of riding - can't comment much on eating.

Monday - can't remember what the hell I did - but I think I took the day off
Tuesday - I was planning on riding Tuesday Night Crits but it got rained out.

Wednesday Night Throwdown - Fast (21.6) but I held on fine and dandy, even keeping up on Conway and I was in the sprint but finished at the back - it was nice to be there.

Thursday - went with Judy and Rich Witt over to O'Fallon, IL for a Metro East Cycling no-drop group ride. It was 30 miles on the backroads, very nice. The pace was brisker than I thought, 18 mph for the country on a relatively flat/moderate hilly no drop ride - they said it was the fastest they have gone all year. Afterwards we went back to Rich's pad and drank! I could get used to going over there!

Friday - No riding

Saturday - The Hub ride was painful - I was not feeling well - Judy came home sick Friday and I guess I picked a little something up. The whole ride was painful for me. It started on the first big effort up Geyer and continued until I got shelled. The whole 35 miles sucked. No fucking pictures here.

Sunday - Knucklehead. I felt much better. Rode with Kevin and Mark. The ride out is always slow and then the jets were turned on when we hit Strucker Road. Myself, Kevin and this guy Pierre pulled through the bottoms and through the hills shelling most of the group. When we hit Clayton, there were about 12 guys (didn't shell enough). I was taking a drink at the intersection when the light turned so I was on the back, not happy. By this point I was feeling great and wanted up front. I pulled out and passed to the top people, and this one prick would not let me in. This guy is a douchebag and has been yelled at by others on the ride. I was like, listen fuck, this isn;t a race and I have been doing 1/3 of the work. So I got pissed and took off and passed Kevin (not like a break, just came quickly around him) on the front. I jammed a pull and all of sudden this douche rode up along side and passed me. Than I was super pissed - so I hung his wheel and looked for the slightest let up - when we hit half way up a hill (nothing big) I came around him with force, Kevin on my wheel and we pushed him out (this was racing mode!) It would have been cooler if we did not not get stopped at a light. Oh well. I hate fucks like this. This guy is the same guy that one Big Shark racer, nice guy, can't remember name, yelled at a couple weeks ago for not knowing how to ride with a group. When we hit that super tough incline by Principia School, Kevin and I lit it up going way off the front - nice. The group rejoined at Ballas and that was the ride.

I really wanted to ride the State Crit this weekend on Sunday - I think I might have done OK - but my sister's son was being baptized - so that was out. I was kindof siked for doing the Maters 35 plus category - Oh well.

Chicago Sucks! - Not the Crit or the city -I mean the band.

Chicago Criterium - Although I wish I did better - I had a blast!

Judy and I left Friday around seven and we stayed on the outskirts of the city in a cheap hotel. the drive down was the worst - we got caught in a blinding thunderstorm and had to pull off the highway for an hour - truly the worst storm I had been in.

As far as the race goes - my efforts were divided 10% on racing and 90% on a nice get-a-way with Judy. She even took her bike, which was awesome. We finally arrived in the city around 2:00 the next day and had a great time in the city. A perfect example of disproportional efforts was the night be fore the 8:50 race, Judy and I stayed out until 1:00 a.m. eating fondue and drinking! I literally left the port-a-potty 3 min. before start - although I felt a lot lighter!

The race: The venue was amazing - right down Michigan Avenue and back down Columbus - the course had two very sketchy corners and a 100 meter incline that did damage every lap. The field was filled on the starting line - 125 riders. This is no joke - our field was filled with pre-reg and had a waiting list. Next to the pros (200), our field was the largest. I had never raced with so many racers. The start was huge. This was one of the fastest races I had been in. Bill and I showed up ready to race. Before I left, Henie and Ron told me this would be a 35 min. plus 2 sprint and they were not joking. From the gun, it was balls out. Every time I hit that little hill, it was out of saddle, full sprint. The straight away was directly into the wind and every time we came through the line, I looked down and my speed was 30 mph.
On the back side, around the half circle was balls out. Before the race, Bill and I said it would be cool to take a flyer at the 10 min lull. I said, there might not be a 10 min. lull and man, was I right. For most of the race I sat in there fine. Up near the front for a while, dropped back, moved up, grouped up with Bill and a rider from Big Shark who does our Wed. night rides (name skips me). with one lap to go in time, before the final 2, they put a $100 prime on the line. Triple XXX got up front and must have done some killer blocking. Coming into the turn before the hill the pack came to almost a standstill - I mean truly almost a complete stop - and then - Bam up the hill into the two left. This is were a fucked up. I was near the back and the sprint up the hill was equal to an effort at the end of the race - I could not accelerate (FONDUE - MELTED CHEESE!) and found myself gapping into the straight away. Once again, I could not pull 30 mph and the gap widened quickly. If I was up more - no shit - I would have been fine. The entire race was at my max, but I was always in it, until this point. I finished the race at 78 out of 125. I sucked falling off so close to the end. Bill did a lot better, staying with the pack and finishing. The entire race was very sketchy - I guess because it was a constant sprint, I was never able to find a groove and get comfortable. Bill had a little accident and this other dude went beserk on him for bumping into another dude and taking him down. He was yelling, "It's on you Hub, It's on you!" Bill - shake it off - it's crit racing - and thank you. If it wasn't for you, I would have finished 79!

This was one of the best run races I had been a part of. The course marshalls were awesome. Because of blind corners and sweeping circles, each had a whistle and would blow it when riders came by, altering the people up ahead. How they closed these major streets was amazing, and people seemed really cool with it. The 3's race was also fast, but I do not think it was a jerky out of the corners, which was what killed me. Dave Smith and Alex German represented The Hub.

After the race, Judy and I switched hotels and went on a bike ride down the bike path along Michigan Avenue. This was a nice slow ride, with tons of people all along the path. It was really fun to ride next to the beach and check out the scenery - (The beach and lake)! We made it back to watch the pro-race - big names like Chris Horner in his Astana kit was really cool. Brad Huff won the race.

That night myself, Bill and Dave with our families, met up for some good Mexican food, ice-cream and the ESPN zone. A really fun evening - especially for this dude!

Came home today exhausted. I totally plan on doing this event next year, hopefully doing a little better.

Week on the bike

HELLO Michael Rawitscher! It was good to hear from you.

Sunday: Got home from the lake and did the Hour of Power ride a little easy at 1:10 - nice to be spinning.

Monday: Went over to Illinois to ride with Rich Witt on the Metro East Cycling ride. A really nice, car quiet and fast course - Illinois farm roads - a little hilly - a perfect 30 mile ride. Took it easy, Avg. around 20 mph - which was pretty easy considering the course. It was nice to ride with Rich - especially the fancy drinks after the ride!

Tuesday Night Worlds - a really cool night - I rode to and from with a jacket on (in July)! The race started and I felt really good.
Bryan says "hi to all" When the race began, I quickly moved to the front and was in the top 5-10 for most of the race. With about 10 min into the race, I rode on the outside and Lendel let me in front, about forth from the front. As we came through the start/finish, a break went off the inside and Lendel jumped right on it. I saw it unfold and should of sprung with Lendel - but he jumped first and I was afraid I would pull people up to him - so I sat on the front with Mark and a Big Shark guy and did some awesome blocking. It was a blast. In the break was a Big Shark, Dogfish and of course The Hub - and we did a great job disorganizing any pursuit by Ghisallo and ICCC. One ICCC guy got all worked up that we wouldn't pull through and when we did, laid up. I drove the pace at one point and sat up as we crested the hill! Sweet! My goal was to move off the front, but with not being in the break, I was content to work at the front. With about 25 min in the race, I started to gas and dropped back. I was in the sprint but finished mid-pack.

After the race, we (Bill, Devin, Bitch Tits, Eric and Robert) all rode over to Burrito Loco and did our own Taco Tuesday. I swear they served the biggest burrito I ever had. I could only eat half the thing - this is what was left over: Ole'

Wed. Night Throwdown - BUSTED!: A large group, good weather. I begged Heine for a little warm up before the thrashing began - I think he obliged, not quite sure! When we were climbing the hill on Geyer, we rode through the stop sign and were caught by a sitting cop. Pretty funny and he was really cool, telling us to slow down as we went through - nice. The pace quickly picked up again. My only complaint, which was huge, happened at Babler and Ladue. While turning on Ladue, a car came around the bend and split the group into about 2/3 that went and 1/3 that waited. I was in the wait group. The front group did not wait and lit it up down and up the hill. I jumped on the wheel and Heine pursued back up to the group. This blew up the back of the ride, dropping more than half the chase group. I was able to catch back on, but I was smoked. As we turned on Conway, I was hurting and I fell a little off the back. I was able to catch the group at Ballas. I was sort of pissed I felt fine the whole ride to this point and was saving this ball busting effort for Conway, not chasing the group! I was in the mix the rest of the ride and contested for the sprint - it felt good. AVG. 21.9 We all got stopped by the train at the end of the ride and waited with the Ladies ride and Judy!

That night we went to The Tin Can and met up with New Belgium and Ryan Van Duzer who is being sponsored by New Belgium to ride his bike across the US (Cal. to Wash DC) on a 3 speed New Belgium bike. Ryan was a really nice guy and advocates biking over driving through his program called Team Wonderbike. It was a nice small group (Ron, Andy, Ryan and my Misses from The Hub), great weather and free New Belgium beer! Check out Duzer's website www.ryanvanduzer.com. The guy is really funny and does a dance while crossing each state line - worth the view.

Thursday: Went our for a nice easy spin out West and rode Marshall - always a workout. Looking forward to Chicago this weekend. I am dropping some weight and can feel it in my cycling performance.